negro
negro Lexical Profile
• noun
North American (Historical) A term historically used in the names of prominent institutions, leagues, or sociological classifications concerning Black Americans.
"The museum hosts an extensive exhibition dedicated to the legendary baseball players of the Negro Leagues who were historically excluded from the Major Leagues."
(Dated, usually offensive) A member of a dark-skinned group of peoples originally native to Africa south of the Sahara.
"During the mid-20th century, many prominent civil rights leaders used the term Negro in their formal speeches and writings, though the word has since been largely replaced by Black or African American."
• adjective
(Dated, historical, or offensive) Relating to black people of African descent or their culture.
"The archivist spent decades compiling and preserving recordings of historical Negro spirituals to ensure the cultural heritage of enslaved African Americans would not be lost."
Word Nuance & Usage
Once the standard accepted term for a person of Black African descent, 'Negro' is now considered outdated and highly offensive in modern conversational usage. It remains acceptable only in specific historical contexts, quotations, or the names of legacy institutions (e.g., the United Negro College Fund, the Negro Leagues).
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English in the mid-16th century from Spanish and Portuguese 'negro' (meaning 'black'), which ultimately derives from the Latin 'niger' (black).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.